When you’re a tenant or landlord, it’s imperative to know the property laws of each state. It’s a very effective way for people to enforce their rights. This is so that you’re safe and protected from cases like this, where a landlord in Tennessee is forcing his tenant to choke with mold if he refuses to pay another month’s rent. The situation has been going on for months and is already affecting the tenant’s health.
Redditor they_callme_j shared on r/Renters that since the upstairs neighbor’s washing machine broke and hasn’t been fixed for so long, the mold has started to seep into their unit. And even in one of the OP’s pictures, it shows how the water was leaking, so that one of the light bulbs practically turned into a faucet. The damage from the mold has been so severe that the landlord has not fixed the problem for six months, and has refused to make any accommodations for OP and their daughter.
OP even explains that an expert inspected the space, which revealed that the mold spore count is extremely high. This prolonged mold exposure is affecting the OP’s lymphatic system with severe reactions causing their throat to close, sleep apnea, and tonsillitis that requires surgery. In addition to this, the Tennessee landlord is forcing the tenant and their daughter to choke with mold, and he does not want to move them to a mold-free unit. He would only do so if OP “renew an entirely new lease or break the lease, paying for another month’s rent on top of an extra $930“.
Redditors like NoWinner6880 responded immediately with one of the best pieces of advice: “Take him to court“. Also, Optimal-Yard-9038 added “Call the city’s code enforcement line. They will be on your landlord so fast. This is an uninhabitable unit. You have rights.” Another of the most critical points made in the comments was that OP can also claim for their medical bills since they are the responsibility of the landlord. Fortunately, OP has many photos and videos as evidence, in addition to the inspection of the unit, so hopefully they can resolve her case quickly and move to a safe place. Especially since their daughter needs heart surgery, and living in the same apartment would not be advisable for her recovery or after.